In modern motor vehicles, provisions for stowing and/or using nomadic devices (e.g., portable consumer electronic devices, such as, for example, “smart” phones, tablets, digital music storage/player devices, and other like devices) are being provided with increasingly frequency. Often such provisions are arranged in the vehicle interior, particularly in the area of the dashboard or instrument panel, and can include a mechanical support to hold such portable electronic devices in a “hand-free” manner.
In one example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,807,621 issued to Stephan, a docking station for a portable electronic device such as a smart phone is provided as part of a storage compartment on an upper portion of an instrument panel. The docking station includes a device holder for securely retaining a mobile electronic device in an access position where it can be conveniently viewed and/or operated by a front seat vehicle occupant. Unfortunately, such a docking station arrangement for holding and conveniently viewing and/or operating a portable electronic device is limited to only the front seat vehicle occupants for practical use.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide docking station arrangement for stowing and/or using nomadic devices that is efficiently packaged within the interior of a motor vehicle and that may be conveniently used, for example, by a back seat motor vehicle occupant. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present disclosure will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.